simple cooking and outdoor painting with a toddler

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Can anyone recommend any very simple recipes for first time foolproof cooking and "must have" items for outdoor painting with an 18 month old toddler. For example do I need an easel for outdoor painting? where is the best place online to buy a wipe clean coverall apron with sleeves for her to wear whilst painting etc? Any recommendations very gratefully received

They do long sleeve plasticy bib things at toys r us which we used for ds when painting. Go up to about age 3 and are really good for when he wanted to play with his water table or anything wet and messy. Also do them in Mothercare I think.

No you don't need aneasle, much easier doing it on the ground or if in-doors painting at the table.

Can't go wrong with baking fairy cakes, makes a mess but is great fun.

100g of sugar, 100g of margerine or butter mix together and add 2 eggs, mix in 100g of self raising flour. Oven at about 190c for 15- 20 mins.

perfect thanks
i will start with fairy cakes the moe simple the better
i assume i can get paints at toysrus or mothercare too and will look out for those

For outdoor painting, DD loooooves shaving cream painting - just mix regular children's paint with shaving foam/gel(though this will need some stirring) and it's a fab sensory experience! I usually put 2 tubs of it (complementary colours) on her small plastic garden table with some paper and then let her run wild - she also loves having a big basin of water with some bubbles and a sponge to then "wash" the table when she's finished/run back and forth between both. It's messy, but great fun - and the shaving cream in the paint helps it's washability ime. Have fun!

For simple cooking - DD loves making "french toast & eggies" For the toast, crack some eggs in a bowl with a splash of milk, vanilla, and a few shakes of cinnamon, stir, soak bread in it for a few secs, then fry in butter. Eggies - ooh boy, crack more eggs in a bowl, splash of milk, sprinkly of pepper, stir and fry in pan, throw in some grated cheese to melt when they start to set. It's virtually impossible to screw either of these up and they're a huge toddler hit! (although not so perfect for an egg-intolerant child ;) ) At some point, DD started wanting to make her own in her own bowl, so I've taken to letting her cook these alongside me, though any hot pan activies are done by me...

I did outside painting with mine the other day, i pegged sheets of sugar paper on the washing line and then lowered it to toddler height

Was a hit, prob not so good on a windy day

Chalk on the ground or a wall is a hit here and easily washed away afterwards. We have an easel but mostly just sit up at the kitchen table or on the ground outside. Dd when younger used to love just wandering with a cup of water and a brush and painting things with the water (no mess!!).

As for cooking we do fairy cakes, flajacks, cornflake/rice crispie cakes.

Dd loves chopping veg for me, she a safety knife that can easily cut up mushrooms, peppers etc but can cause her no harm (I think it came from pampered chef).

brilliant ideas thanks everyone you have given me lots to try this weekend ta

flapjacks

cheese straws

ds loves grating cheese

Make a scone pizza base (really simple) then having already prepared your toppings get DC to decorate their own pizza. DD and I like to make differnet shaped bases, although it is usually Mickey Mouse.

outdoor painting - all you need is a patio or brick wall area, large paint brush and a bucket of water, no mess to clean up

Give them a roll of puff pastry and small cookie cutters and let them cutr out shapes. Sprinkle with cheese/sesame/poppy seeds than bake in a hot oven until risen!

you can also get paint from tesco or asda.

Water painting is great with water and a paint prush outside on the patio ect.

Splat painting with fly swatters is great too. I would recomend if you can get cheep big paper, ie old wallpaper roles in the bargin bin in somewhere like do it all or BNQ.

You could also use an old adult size shirt or t shirt cut down if you want to.

Bubble painting is always fun fun fun where you mix paint and washing up liquid in a bowl ( I use an old washing up bowl) and blow through a staw to make bubbles, then put the paper on top to see a beautiful pattern. I would however do this from 2 and a half upwards.

paint flicking is always fun.

I second water painting! Pots of water and different size brushes. easy peasy.